Red Hibiscus- picture by Crystal Myles
Having completed our journey from Skye to East Kilbride, just south of Glasgow, we spent a wonderful couple of days exploring ‘the second city of empire’. We’d never been before…we were wondering what it would be like, given it had a rather ‘mixed’ reputation in former days.We needn’t have worried. Yes, this is a working city and there are parts which aren’t that pretty. But the efforts to regenerate the centre and its surrounds seem to have paid off. We were impressed at the range and quality of the architecture and cultural offerings here…and the friendliness of the people.
Today’s post sets out some pictures from our first full day’s visit, when we took the tourist bus and initially stopped off to visit the Cathedral…
From here it was short walk to the Necropolis set out above the city, it is a wonderful space celebrating the lives of Glasgow’s worthies…and glorious on a sunny day with lovely cloud formations. We stopped off to chat to a group of RSPB volunteers busy stripping turf in order to create more wildlife (bird) friendly spaces amidst the tombstones….
And from here we discovered a super museum in one of the oldest merchant houses (‘Provand’s Lordship’) in the city and with its own, rather special tudor-style garden with knots of Box and interesting beds iof medicinal and other herbs…
Last week’s post looked at the origins of Harlow New Town and the architectural and planning ideals – sharply criticised by some – which inspired it. It was, in every sense, a young town but it’s grown up since then. This post explores what became of the high hopes. By 1954, the first of Harlow’s […]
via Harlow New Town: ‘Are you going my way?’ — Municipal Dreams
Poppy – picture by Wendy Sinclair
Well when you have one of the world’s great gardens nearby, it’s pretty irresistible. The team at Great Dixter were holding a press day, and although I know the garden very well, there are always things to learn, techniques to observe , new plants to see and the ever-changing plantings to admire. I will do…
Our journey away from Skye featured a slow start- we got stuck behind a convoy of three huge trailers carrying the blades of a wind turbine! After a very good lunch en route we made our way alongside Loch Lomond (it’s rather long!) and eventually reached Helensburgh on the Clyde Estuary and specifically The Hill House. This gem of the National Trust for Scotland is one of the few houses designed by the renowned Art Nouveau Scottish Architect and designer Charles Rennie Mackintosh.
Built in 1902-3, to get close to some original Mackintosh design features- especially in the interior of the house- was a joy. Needless to say the attention to detail- somewhat typical of the ‘architecture for the rich’ at this time- was delightful. Unfortunately I wasn’t allowed to take photographs inside, but here are a few ‘culled’ from the ‘net…
And the gardens didn’t disappoint either, though these had rather less of the Mackintosh touch, the owner of the house probably playing a more important role in shaping its design, features and planting. The garden today is testament to a painstaking programme of restoration and whilst the layout is pretty typical for grand houses of this period- with formal, terraced lawns combined with a series of ‘garden rooms’- it nonetheless was a lovely experience strolling through these in the spring sunshine. It was also nice to be able to buy a few spare plants from the cottage garden, including ‘Jacob’s Ladder’.
I seldom sit in my garden. There are too many distractions. I have spots where I like to sit, but as soon as I plop my weary ass down, I see a stray weed. I’m not the only one distracted. Evelyn Hadden fought back. Rather than be dragged down with garden chores, she found a…
via Sit a Spell. It’s Not as Easy as You Think. by Allen Bush — Garden Rant
Find out which tasks you need to do to keep your own garden looking great and take a peek at what Winterbourne has to offer this month…
OK, I’m sorry. It’s two months since we got back from Scotland and the roll out of my pictures and stories is painfully slow. Put it down to ‘getting back into the garden’, as those of you who read my letters to my friend Walter, will know.So far I’ve shared my experiences of two clan seats on Skye- at Dunvegan and Armadale Castles- and in particular the splendid gardens. Today I thought I’d do a sort of composite post picking up the various other things and places we did/went to before moving back for a couple of days to Glasgow.
We were sharing a rather nice house with 6 friends in the north west of the island. The weather, and especially the sunsets (see the picture above) were amazing for early May…27 degrees C on one or two days. First, then some shots of our immediate area…
Second, some from some of the walks (and swims!) we did…Coral Beaches, Fairy Pools and a long trek across moorland towards Talisker Bay…
We also went on a boat trip where we managed to (just about) see some White Tailed and Golden Eagles as well as a good range of other sea birds….
Finally, and most spectacular of all, we went on a rather longer walk up and around the ‘Old Man of Storr’ up in the north east of the island- some breathtaking scenery here…
Well, hopefully you get the flavour of what was a fascinating and fun week- including a themed Scottish evening meal with us all wearing ‘See you Jimmy’ hats (and hair)!! no pictures to protect the innocent…
A tucked away garden near Battle held an evening open in aid of Great Dixter. Although it was not entirely to my taste – taste is a very personal thing – I make a point of finding the positives, and here it included a wonderful hidden location, well-grown plants and an attractive walled vegetable garden.…
Nigel Boldero aka 'Old School Gardener'
 | Nigel Boldero on Fighting to Reduce Climate Cha… |
 | Anonymous on Fighting to Reduce Climate Cha… |
| Anonymous on PicPost: Carrot, my foot! |
| 18 Surprising Hydran… on Plantax 16: Hydrangea the wate… | |
| Nigel Boldero on Poppyland: A Victorian romance… |
| Anonymous on Poppyland: A Victorian romance… |
| Anonymous on Plants to die for… |
 | Isabella Childress on PicPost: Forest, but not as we… |
 | Happiness Factor on Is child-friendly planning a l… |
 | zidane on Top Tip: On a Pedestal- make m… |
Nature Connectedness Research Blog by Prof. Miles Richardson
Connecting People with Nature
A daily selection of the best content published on WordPress, collected for you by humans who love to read.
Celebrating gardens, photography and a creative life
Writing, photography and more by Daniel Greenwood
Lydia Rae Bush Poetry
Australian Pub Project, Established 2013
The Journey from Finnish Rintamamiestalo to Arboretum & Gardens
Because even in chaos, there’s always gin and a good story …
RANDOM BITS & MORE TIDBITS
.....and nurturing my soul
Cultural Heritage and the Digital Economy
Sense of place, purpose, rejuvenation and joy
Notes from the Gardeners...
Connecting People to Nature, Empowering People to Live Sustainably
A girl and her garden :)
Old School Garden 